Rock to Lava spell in Dragon mag....

[SpikeyFreak]

This spell has a reflex save to take no damage, but it has a disclaimer on the save that I think more spells should have, yet it brings up another question.

The text about the save says something like "on a succesful save, no damage is taken as long as the character can and does leave the area of affect by the shortest route possible."

What does that mean? If you make your save, are you moved to the edge of the affect? Does "as long as the character can" mean that you basically have to ready an action to move? Does it mean you have to move when it is cast, or do you just have to wait until your turn, then if you don't move out you take damage?

I think I'm going to rule that if you make your save you move outside of the area right then and there.

--Molten Spikey

 

[SpikeyFreak]

Do While Thread.Responce = False
Thread.Bump = True
Post.Count = Post.Count + 1
Loop

--Code Spikey

 

[Claude Raines]

I think I'm going to rule that if you make your save you move outside of the area right then and there.

I'm inclined to agree with this interpretation, since essentially you are dodging the damage, you have to move out of the area of the damage at that point in time.

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

That applies to many (all?) Reflex save or take no damage spells, eg blade barrier. It's difficult to dodge a fireball unless you can jump 20 feet instantly or have really fast reflexes.

 

[Altalazar]

Yes, the largest this spell can be is a 10x10 square, so there would generally always be an opportunity to get out of the area - unless it was at the bottom of a 10x10 pit. Then you'd have to rule the reflex save was a chance to get climbing up one of the walls. But woe to the one who fails that climb check...

 

[SpikeyFreak]

That applies to many (all?) Reflex save or take no damage spells, eg blade barrier. It's difficult to dodge a fireball unless you can jump 20 feet instantly or have really fast reflexes.

Ah. I had forgotten that.

It's not all because fireball is a refles save for half and has no such disclaimer on the save.

--Forgetful Spikey

 

[Schmoe]

Do While Thread.Responce = False
Thread.Bump = True
Post.Count = Post.Count + 1
Loop

--Code Spikey

while !(thread.response())
{
thread.bump();
post.count += 1;
}

Sorry man, I just had to translate for those who only speak C++.

 

[Orco42]

I have always ruled that any (area effect) reflex save that results in no damage means the character jump out of the effect.

As a DM I really hate Evasion, so I try to make sure that I drop a fireball in a small room.

 

[DrSpunj]

My 2 cents

The text about the save says something like "on a succesful save, no damage is taken as long as the character can and does leave the area of affect by the shortest route possible."

While this may sound a little weak, the following reasoning makes a lot of sense to me:
While the rock is changed to Lava near instantaneously, you can move out of the area of effect during the transformation so that you take no damage and are essentially unaffected, but only if you act quick enough. For those people that make their Reflex saves, they HAVE to use their next available Move Equivalent Action to step directly out of the 10'x10' area or suffer the damage as if they didn't save. This forced choice mimics a "I-better-save-my-butt-in-the-next-split-second-or-two" reflex. The shortest route possible is important because if someone was trying to reach the caster (who is obviously on the far side of the lava for this example) the PC would have to reflexively jump off the lava and find another way to get to the caster, avoiding all damage, OR cross the other 5' of lava to get to the caster, but suffering the applicable damage.

I don't think people should be magically moved/teleported off the 10'x10' lava bed as not having to lose a MEA to move off and avoid damage could significantly impact the game. I figure it's a nifty part of the spell, anyone affected that saves still has to react to the spell (burning up a MEA).

Thanks.

 

[SpikeyFreak]

while !(thread.response())
{
thread.bump();
post.count += 1;
}

Sorry man, I just had to translate for those who only speak C++.

I realized after I posted it that Thread.Bump should be a function and not a variable.

--Non-Programmer Spikey